When Nothing Ear (1) released in 2021, it took the tech world by storm. Something that looked so good and so promising made available at a price point of US$99 at launch. Two years later, the Ear (2) has been released and it looks almost the same, except for some internal improvements and a price update. Is the price hike warranted? Are they still aiming for the entry-level bargain or could they be shooting for the mid-level market? Today, we put the Nothing Ear (2) to the test.
Difference between Ear (1) and Ear (2)
Visually they look really similar, almost not being able to tell the difference between the two, with the Ear (2) case being a tad slimmer and lighter than it’s elder predecessor. Under the hood, however is a different story altogether. The Ear (2) now comes with support for 24bit/192kHz Hi-Res Audio certification and LHDC 5.0 technology, along with adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that can be personalised on the Nothing X app, available on both iOS and Android devices.
Comfort and Fit
The Ear (2) comes with 3 different ear tips sizes, allowing for perfect fit for different ear sizes. The Personal Sound Profile also makes sure that you can tweak the music exactly how you like it. After going through the Ear Tip Fit Test, you will have your personalised Hearing ID. This tweaks the equaliser settings accordingly, making dynamic compensation in real-time. This can all be done on the Nothing X app.
Connectivity and Nothing X app
The Nothing X app allows users to choose between three levels of ANC, or if they prefer Adaptive Mode that detects the user’s environment and automatically adjusts the noise cancellation levels. Users can also use the personalised ANC that actively cancels out audio according to the Ear Fit Test and detecting sound loss based on the 7 audio filters.
Battery Life
The Ear (2) is rated to last for 36 hours with the case, 2 hours more than it’s previous iteration, the Nothing Ear (1). The case charges via USB-C but if you’re not a wired guy, then wireless charging is also available. For the ultimate Nothing experience, you can use your Nothing Phone (1) that supports reverse wireless charging to stay juiced.
Conclusion
All in all, they look really similar to the previous Ear (1) but it just feels so much better. The Nothing X app that adds software features like personalised equaliser and Ear Fit Test really makes the product feel polished and considered. No complaints about it looking the same too, they looked great in the beginning and they still look super cool now. No point fixing something that isn’t broken.
From 8 April, Ear (2) will go on general sale across all stores of Nothing’s partners in Singapore both online and offline, including flagship e-commerce stores on Lazada and Shopee.
Watch the Unboxing Video
